SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

2022 Supreme(P&H) 318

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
Anoop Chitkara, J.
Harpreet Kaur & Ors. – Appellants
Versus
State Of Punjab & Ors. – Respondents
CRM-M No. 1655-2021
Decided On : 18-07-2022

Advocates Appeared:
Mr. Jaspal Singh Pannu, Advocate, for the Appellant; Mr. Harsimar Singh Sitta, AAG, Punjab., Mr. Jaswinder Singh Rana, Advocate for Mr. S.S. Randhawa, Advocate for respondents No.2 and , for the Respondent

Headnote:

Compromise - Quashing of FIR - 307, 427, 148, 149 IPC, 1860 ad 25, 27 of the Arms Act, 1959 - Mahesh Chand v State of Rajasthan, 1990 SCC 781, Dimpey Gujraj v Union Territory, (2013) 11 SCC 497, Narinder Singh v. State of Punjab, 2014 (6) SCC 466, State of Rajasthan v. Shambhu Kewat, (2014) 4 SCC 149, Yogendra Yadav v State of Jharkhand, 21.7.2014, Kailash Chand v. State of Rajasthan, 2018(4) R.C.R (Criminal) 292, State of Madhya Pradesh v. Dhruv Gurjar, (2019) 5 SCC 570, Shiji @ Pappu v. Radhika, (2011) 10 SCC 705, State of M.P. v. Rajveer Singh, 2016(3) R.C.R.(Criminal) 176, Parbatbhai Aahir v State of Gujarat, (2017) 9 SCC 641, The state of Madhya Pradesh v. Kalyan Singh, 2019 (4) SCC 268, The State of Madhya Pradesh v. Laxmi Narayan & others, 2019 (5) SCC 688, Ramgopal v. The State of Madhya Pradesh, Cr.A 1489 of 2012

Fact of the Case:

The accused petitioned to quash the FIR and all consequential proceedings based on a compromise with the aggrieved person. The parties consented to the quashing of the FIR and consequent proceedings without any threat or coercion.

Finding of the Court:

The compromise was not accepted by the court due to the serious nature of the offence under section 307 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) and the lack of sufficient reasons for settlement. The court dismissed the petition but allowed the parties to enter into a fresh compromise and file a new petition for quashing.

Issues: The court analyzed the nature of the compromise, the seriousness of the offence, and the impact on society. It also considered the principles laid down in various judicial precedents regarding the quashing of criminal proceedings.

Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized that the power to quash criminal proceedings should be exercised sparingly and with caution, especially for heinous and serious offences. It also highlighted the need to consider the societal impact and the nature of the offence before accepting a compromise and quashing the proceedings.

Final Decision: The petition was dismissed, but the parties were allowed to enter into a fresh compromise and file a new petition for quashing, which would be decided on its merits without being influenced by the dismissal of the present petition.

JUDGMENT

Anoop Chitkara, J.

FIR No.

Dated Police

Station

Sections

228

29.11.2018

Sadar Amritsar, Distt. Police Commissionerate, Amritsar

307, 427, 148, 149 IPC, 1860 ad 25, 27 of the Arms Act, 1959

1. The petitioners, arraigned as accused in the above captioned FIR, have come up before this Court under Section 482 CrPC for quashing of the FIR and all consequential proceedings based on a compromise with the aggrieved person.

2. During the pendency of the petition, the accused and the aggrieved person have compromised the matter, and its copy is annexed with this petition as Annexure P-2.

3. After that, the petitioner came up before this Court to quash the FIR, and in the quashing petition, the aggrieved person has been impleaded as respondent.

4. On 25-02-2021, the aggrieved persons Ramandeep Singh (R-2) and Gurmeet Singh (R- 3) appeared before the Ld.ACJM Amritsar and submits that there would be no objection if the court quashes this FIR and consequent proceedings. As per the concerned court's report dated 1-3-2021, the parties consented to the quashing of FIR and consequent proceedings without any threat or coercion.

ANALYSIS & REASONING:

5. The State's counsel has severely opposed this compromise and seeks dismissal of the petition because of the heinous nature of the offence.

6. In the present case, the offences under section 307 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) is not compoundable under Section 320 of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC). However, in the facts and circumstances peculiar to this case, the parties have not mentioned any reason which led to settlement of dispute, how were their relations on the date of affidavit and statement, what social objective would by disrupting the motion of criminal prosecution. Thus, based on the nature of compromise papers and the contents of statement of the victim, where he stated that with the intervention of the people of locality, the mater was compromised, is not sufficient to accept the compromise.

7. A perusal of the reasons for settlement as mentioned in the compromise deed, Annexure P-2, is also formal, and no reasons for carving out an exception is made out for disruption of the criminal trial in a serious matter involving 307 IPC.

8. In Mahesh Chand v State of Rajasthan, 1990 SCC 781, Hon'ble Supreme Court holds as under:

      [2]. The accused were acquitted by the trial court, but they were convicted by the High Court for the offence under section 307 Indian Penal Code This offence is not compoundable under law. The parties, however. want to treat it a special case, in view of the peculiar circumstances of the case. It is said and indeed not disputed that one of the accused is a lawyer practising in the lower court. There was a counter case arising out of the same transaction. It is said that this case has already been compromised. The decision of this Court in Suresh Babu v. State of Andhra Pradesh, 1987(2) JT 361, has been also referred to in support of the plea for permission to compound the offence.

      9. In Dimpey Gujraj v Union Territory, (2013) 11 SCC 497, Supreme Court holds,

          [5]. In light of the above observations of this court in Gian Singh v. State of Punjab and another, 2012(4) R.C.R.(Criminal) 543 : 2012(4) Recent Apex Judgments (R.A.J.) 549 : 2012(5) CTC 526 (SC) we feel that this is a case where the continuation of criminal proceedings would tantamount to abuse of process of law because the alleged offences are not heinous offences showing extreme depravity nor are they against the society. They are offences of a personal nature and burying them would bring about peace and amity between the two sides. In the circumstances of the case, FIR No. 163 dated 26/10/2006 registered under Section 147, 148, 149, 323, 307, 452 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code at Police Station Sector 3, Chandigarh and all consequential proceedings arising therefrom including the final report presented under Section 173 of the Code and charges framed by the trial court are hereby quashed.

          10. In Narinder Singh

                                                        Click Here to Read the rest of this document
                                                        1
                                                        2
                                                        3
                                                        4
                                                        5
                                                        6
                                                        7
                                                        8
                                                        9
                                                        10
                                                        11
                                                        SupremeToday Portrait Ad
                                                        supreme today icon
                                                        logo-black

                                                        An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

                                                        Please visit our Training & Support
                                                        Center or Contact Us for assistance

                                                        qr

                                                        Scan Me!

                                                        India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

                                                        For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

                                                        whatsapp-icon Back to top